The Rise of Apostolic Leadership.

Today, I will highlight the last of six new realities presented in "The Present Future". I hope that this has been beneficial to you and that we are better for it.

I'll turn my thoughts and this blog to another recent read next week.

I'm headed to Ft. Worth with a great group of men and leaders in the Church of Oklahoma City. You can learn a bit more about our endeavors at www.Vision360.org. And I look forward to sharing some thoughts on our time with you.

New Reality Number Six – The Rise of Apostolic Leadership.

You are being asked to lead during a time when you are not sure where all this is going. If previous history is an accurate indicator, the kinds of changes we are undergoing will not settle out for another century or more.

This really encourages me to slow down and seek an evolutionary approach to change rather than a revolutionary approach that demands change now. Let's not euthanize an old model and latch on to a new up-and-comer. The cycle of change may in fact be: conception, celebrate, wait, birth, infancy, grow up, life, come of age, death, grieve, resurrection.

Wrong Question #6: How Do We Develop Leaders For Church Work?

This is probably harsh, but who cares about church work? Kill the bubble -Serve the world!

We are training mechanics to work on machinery of the church industry when we need a new engine. We need transitional leaders who will help the church find a new expression in the emerging world. What does this leadership look like and how will it be developed?

I'm sure I'll get to this in more depth with a future blog book review, but try this on for size. If the railroad people were really concerned with transporting people then they would own the airlines. But instead railroad people became about the railroad and were passed by, left in the dust, reminiscing about the good ole days of superior travel by rail. Meanwhile people are whizzing by overhead. What is our version of transporting people? What does this mean to the Church? Let's not miss the point.

Tough Question #6: How Do We Develop Leaders For The Christian Movement

While the term "movement" is becoming quite cool of late, I still love what it entails, movement, journey, change, go, new, next, flex, give, take, stretch, etc.

The goal of a congregation’s leadership development process is to create a core of leaders who are capable of strategizing, launching, and conducting a mission for expanding the kingdom of God.

What strategies do you often think about? What are you becoming convinced of? What new thing would you like to see? What has never been done? Where does the light of the kingdom of God need to push back darkness?

I believe Jesus is the hope of the world. I believe God has called out a people to make sure the world knows this. These people are the church. Nothing less than dying to ourselves will free us from ourselves so we can come alive to God and become captured by his heart for people.

Let's be a people that are full of hope. Let's extend that hope to people everywhere. Let's be the church. What do you need to die to? Be freed from? Come alive to? Be captured by?

Wake Up.

Here are the thoughts and ideas shared at this past week's KAMP's Gathering.
We continue our journey of The Art of Living.

See Mark 14 1-9.
3-5Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head. Some of the guests became furious among themselves. "That's criminal! A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well over a year's wages and handed out to the poor." They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her.
6-9But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me. She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial.

She did what she could when she could…
People sitting around are mad, upset, they are criticizing…talking about perfume and money
Jesus says they missed it…what she has done is beautiful…preparing for burial…act of worship to god…holy sacred act
Teaching us to see a whole other world, other story, greater depths…
they see jars, perfume, etc…
Jesus see something holy profound…
Jesus is aware of the sacred and the holy…in the midst of the mundane

See Genesis 28:10-22.
“10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway [c] resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." 17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

Jacob is on the move…not aware…odd dream…calling…work…God was here the whole time…wakes up to a god that has been present all along…not god just showed up…wakes up from his sleep and his spiritual sleep…finding the god who has been there all along…becomes aware of a god who has been there…and I’ve missed it…

Come into the awareness that god has a call a work for you to do…what do you want nothing more than…purpose…what you’re made for…what needs to happen to accomplish that…divine urging…and we are waking up to it…and then God showed up…no you did…and then we became aware…

See Exodus 3:1-12. "1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, [a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
12 And God said, "I will be with you."

Ends up in midian standing at a bush that’s burning…the bush happened 40 years after he arrived in midian…God speaks to him…how long has he been walking through this section of land…was god speaking the whole time…or did he hear when he stopped…is the ground you walk on holy or has god been present the whole time…waking up to holiness and deepness….we wake up…

As a follower of Jesus, a person of the way, mastering the art of living… Developing radar for the sacred and the holy…not that god shows up…we show up

See John 5:1-18.
The Authority of the Son
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working." 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

At this point they believed the prophets quit speaking…Romans are in control…no freedom to worship…that maybe god has stopped working…my father is always at work…we believe this..school, work, buying things, interacting…god is doing something here, right here where you are…every relationship, person, time, mess, those rejecting god, interactions with people you cannot stand, pursuing, loving them, what if we internalized that god is always at work…Jesus sees a depth to the experience that others are missing…Jesus is fully awake

Mastering the art of living is becoming fully awake…shaking off the slumber…cutting through the fog…

God is speaking, at work, convicting, showing us, prodding, pushing, tapping on shoulder, telling us your loved, that we are ok, your not alone, always at work with you doing something, calling, reminding you, speaking into you values

John Robinson, “Honest to God” – “For Christianity, the holy is the depth of the common, just as secular is not a (godless) section of life but the world (God’s world, for which Christ died) cut off and alienated from its true depth. The purpose of worship (church) is not to retire (escape) from the secular into the department of the religious, let alone to escape from this world into the other world, but to open oneself to the meeting of the Christ in the common. The function of worship is to make us more sensitive to these depths; to focus, sharpen and deepen our response to the world and to other people. The test of worship is how far it makes us more sensitive to the beyond in our midst, to the Christ in the hungry, the naked, the homeless and the prisoner."

the purpose of worship is not to escape, but to opens oneself up to the Christ in the common

The point of church is not to meet god, but that we learn to see and find god everywhere in life…being woken up to the Christ who is present everywhere

The function of worship is to make us more sensitive to these depths…
This opens us up and wakens us up…

See Genesis 28 Again.
Certain Place – in between nowhere and nowhere…not a temple, tabernacle, church, Christian bookstore, event sponsored by a church, wilderness, rocks and stones, god has been here, anyplace, a certain cubicle, hall, dorm, driveway, neighborhood, home, road, store, relationship, phone call, email, certain place…

We feel like we’re missing it…that its over there…it’s easy believe that if I went there…challenge who you are and what’s going on here…lameness follows you from town to town…wherever you are there you are…learn to be here…hear god here…wake up…

What happens when you master the art of living…taking steps…now…the revolution is alive and well within you…love has to spill over…the revolution is alive and well wherever you are…my god is always at work…we want to make sure that we don’t look for it over there…but that the revolution is here…in you…around you…take off your shoes…stop listen…here…the kingdom of god is among you, in you

God is alive all over the place…enter in and the kingdom will be alive here, now…waking up to a god that has been here all along and we were sleeping

God is near…god is always at work…not somewhere else or just there…here near…you and me right now near…speaking, convicting, wake up I have things for you to do…too much noise…listen to me and you’d understand…Jesus on palm Sunday…if you only knew what was happening today in your midst…waking up to the sacred

Luke 19:41 When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you!"

Closing Prayer.

Ephesians 1 says, “15-19That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Pray that the eyes of your heart may me enlightened…here all along, just not aware…show us how loaded place and people are…give us radar to see what me miss…eyes to see what’s around us…

The Shift from Planning to Preparation.

This continues our look at "The Present Future"...

God is making waves all around the North American church. Some churches are going to get to ride them. These are the churches that are prepared to get in on what God is up to.

Wrong Question #5: How Do We Plan For The Future?

Tough Question #5: How Do We Prepare For the Future?

People tire of visionless activity and organizations, but people never tire of vision when it’s the right one.

Vision is discovered, not invented.

Listen. Listen to the heart hopes of the people you lead. Ask them what they would like to see God do in their lives and in the lives of the church and in the community.

So, we're listening. What do you have to say? I love this language. What are your heart hopes? Stop and listen to your own heart. What is it telling you? Not your head. Your heart. What would you like to see God do in your own life? What would you like to see the church, our church become?

I recently posed this question to some in our community. Here are the short one or two word responses to what they hope Mars Hill would be and become: a place of challenge, pursuit of God, know Jesus, be Jesus to people, full, deep reservoir, functionally and usefully deep, diversity, scandalous grace, radical inclusion, people of peace, whole, complete, abnormally normal, social work church, accept the rejected, go to the margins, love everybody, you add to the list.

Look. Look at your town, your city. Look at where you are. Look at what’s going on around you.

So, what do you see around you? Your neighborhood? Workplace? Community? City? What is happening all around us? What is the most natural response?

Talk. When do you see the energy go up?

What gives you energy? What are you passionate about? What are you indignant about?

In the emerging world people are increasingly looking for intentionality and organic to be joined together. What do we value? Values are demonstrated by behavior.

Here are some values that have risen the surface: culture, ideas, change, relationships, knowledge, real, alive, local church, spirituality, creativity, openness, family, risk, life together friends, evolving, leadership, flexible, poor, adaptability, marginalized, gospel, forgotten, future, next generation, urban context, you add to the list.

Create venues where people can practice the core values.

Where do you, me and us practice what we preach? Let's remember that we the kingdom of God is not a kingdom of words but rather a kingdom of action. Because after all, talk is cheap!

Every idea for ministry needs to be accompanied by a list of values it champions.

Our world is in no shortage of ideas. Let's be a value-driven community.

Often we tell children they need to spend more time on the things that come the hardest to them, leaving underdeveloped those talents that are most natural.

What are your most natural talents? Are you putting them to use? And for whose benefit?

Balance is a myth. Leaders are “out of round” in the areas of their passion, their giftedness and their vision. Your best shot at making your best contribution is for you to get better at what you are already good at.

In what ways are you "out of round"?

Someone in our community said that, "the world and the Church is being robbed because people are not utilizing their giftedness and uniqueness."

The church is so self-absorbed that most inquiries will tend to perpetuate innovations in doing church, not being church.

Together, let's keep turning outward. Serve our community. Extend mercy. Exist for others. And love more than others think is necessary.

The Story Continues...

Here is the latest feedback on our journey together...

"I've been around Mars Hill a couple of times in the past month or so and it's been really refreshing. I'm pumped about your heart for a church that is ACTIVE and moving. I spent the summer overseas and coming home has left me aching for ministry outside the walls of a church."

What refreshes you in life?
What do you ache for?

Tell us your story.

Much Love.
Ben.

The Return To Spiritual Formation.

Here are the continuing thoughts from "The Present Future" by Reggie McNeal. Specifically we'll be looking at New Reality Number Four – The Return To Spiritual Formation.

Wrong Question #4: How Do We Develop Church Members?

Have you ever joined something? What was it like? Good, bad, indifferent? Did it feel holy? Sacred? Were you joining an organization or becoming family? Have you found your tribe?

We have made following Jesus all about being a good church member. The truth is, the North American church culture extracts salt from the world and diminishes the amount of light available to those in darkness who need to find their way.

I think I'd rather be a good husband, dad, son, friend, neighbor, citizen than a good church member. A good church member sounds so sweet and tame. I want to be a good follower of Jesus, his words and his actions. A follower of Jesus sounds like a risk and adventure.

Tough Question #4: How Do We Develop Followers of Jesus?

What does discipleship mean and look like to you?

The church is there to help people develop an abundant life promised to them by Jesus. Imagine helping people see how God can get into the life they already have instead of asking them to give up their life for the church. This means less church activity and more people development. Life has been getting pushed to the side.

If we miss living life in all of this, well, we've really missed it.

In many cases, we’re not peddling Jesus – we’re peddling church with the assumption that if people will come to church and convert to churchianity they will get Jesus. What they often get is a poor substitute. Evangelism that will introduce Jesus to this culture will flow from people who are deeply in love with Jesus.

I've probably said this before and I will most certainly say it again.

If we pursue community we may not find a cause worth living for.
But if we pursue a cause worth living for we will most assuredly get community of the best kind.

If we pursue friendship we may not find discipleship that changes us.
But if we pursue discipleship that changes us we will most assuredly get friendship of the best kind.

If we pursue church we may not find a Jesus who saves.
But if we pursue a Jesus who saves we will most assuredly get church of the best kind.

Disney Princesses On Ice.

Hope the week is going well for everybody out there.

I spent last night at Disney Princesses On Ice with my wife, 4 year-old daughter Harley AND some wonderful friends of ours along with their 3 year-old little girl. Both of the girls were decked out in the princess get up, darling. I

was first of thankful that I was able to bring Harley to such an event. She was completely mesmerized by it all. The climax for her was the appearance of Cinderella.

In the midst of overpriced everything there was a wonderful moment provided us by the Make A Wish Foundation (www.Wish.org). Two beautiful little girls were invited on to the ice to spend time with their heroes, these Disney Princesses. Make A Wish grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. So you can only imagine what these little girls and their families have endured.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here exactly. But it was Good, Kind, Just. It made me wish I could bring every underprivileged little girl in OKC to such an event, so that their dreams could come true OR to help them begin to dream again OR for the first time.

What if the church helped people live again, dream again, love again, smile again, dance again, cry again, give again, on and on and on?

Move Into The Neighborhood.

Here is some thoughts, ideas, scriptures shared in our journey toward living the best possible kind of life.

See Genesis 1.
Genesis 1 is this beautiful creation poem. Good…good…good…

Genesis 2:18 says, “God said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone;”

Break in the rhythm…its all good…and then something about a person being alone that is not good…something about loneliness…tragedy and suffering…tragedy and suffering alone…something about loneliness…somebody left you…taps into something deep…as bad as it gets…our primal origin…loneliness is the first thing God said is not good…

The flip side…somebody saying they won’t leave…or I’ve been there…telling their story and its your story…they understand…I could have sworn I’m totally crazy in this feeling…and you realize you’re not the only crazy one…somebody voices something that you have been feeling all along…a music album…that puts words and sound to you…powerful words, ME TOO…yes I’m not alone…when somebody joins us understands gets it…and when somebody puts in word what is a loose rumbling in your soul…loneliness is not good…loneliness is conquered with connection…you’ve gone through something terrible and somebody committed to going through it with you

See Hebrews 4:15-16 - The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain.

Does God know what it’s like?
Jesus is the high priest…he knows what we’re going through…early Christian belief was that God came to earth…god in the flesh…knows what it’s like…

John 1:14 says, “14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
14The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

Jesus is showing us what God is like…love, compassion, passion, patience, kindness, etc.

See Hebrews 12:1-3.

The one who came among us…who understand…knows what we’re going through…

Endured, to go through the worst kind of suffering possible, betrayed, denied, spit on, slapped, mocked, insulted, falsely accused, condemned, humiliated, scorned, killed

In addition to knowing what’s its like to be human…he knows what its like to suffer

The God who knows what its like…not distant…someplace else…waiting up there…not sitting up above with a beard…crash in like a parent at a high school party…on the cross…I know how you feel…”you don’t know what its like”, yes I do

See John 14:9-14.

Do you want to know what God is like…look to me…God is working through me…living in me doing his work…God took on flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood…living in and working through what God is like…in my actions and words what God is like

Incarnation – in the flesh, personification, embodiment, manifestation, materialization, living form

God coming among us taking on flesh and blood

The first Christians didn’t stop there…this historical moment had endless ramifications that went on to today…not a one time historical event…it had implications for everyone of Jesus’ followers

See I Cor. 6:19.

The group of you it’s a plural…speaking to a community of people…god lives in your midst…he lives there…living in you…working through you…same language…all of you working together…a body of followers…a body of Jesus

See I Cor. 12:12-13.

You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this.

Like a body…something to add…everybody does its part…you would be acting like Jesus…you are a temple…as you act and speak…you as followers of Jesus are showing the world what Jesus is like…they would get a sense of what God is like…If you were there loving serving accepting…if they came into the group…they would see what Jesus is like…the same way that God is present in Jesus…Jesus is present in us

That is the point of the incarnation…God came into the world and screamed alongside of us
I’m thirsty, forsaken me, I don’t want to do this, wrestling, sweating drops of blood,
God is not distant, removed, knows what its like, present

God loves to show up dressed as people…and he’ll show up looking like someone you least expected…he has know concept of favoritism, status, prestige…that why we are like a temple of God…we have the potential to show the world what God is like…Jesus showed God in the flesh, now you show Jesus in the flesh…Jesus looks an awful lot like you…

We don’t sit around passively…we are the temple, the body, Jesus on display, making an appearance that looks like you

Incarnational possibilities…developing radar for when God wants to show up…they were like Jesus to me…at the moment they needed it…god showed up…

If you keep the cross a one time historical event we are robbing it of its mystery and power…the incarnation…a God who shows up…and you have the opportunity to put this in action…

Be-Incarnation – God shows up as people, show the world what I am like…Jesus is teaching us Be-Incarnation…simply trying to act like Jesus in the world…orienting your life how god is…

A New Reformation - Releasing God's People.

A new reformation is upon us. And as Rick Warren suggests, its a reformation of deeds. If we could find a way to turn an audience into an army, consumers into contributors, spectators into participants it will change the world…it’s time to stop debating and start doing…it’s time for the church to be known for love and not legalism…for the church to be known by what we are for rather than what we are against…it’s time for the church to be the church!!!

The first Reformation was about freeing the church. The new Reformation is about freeing God’s people from the church (the institution). The original Reformation decentralized the church. The new Reformation decentralizes ministry. The new Reformation is moving the church closer to the world. The new Reformation is distinguishing followers of Jesus from religious people.

Where do you need to experience freedom to go and be? Where has the institutional church seemed to bog down or hold you back? Are you moving closer to the world? Maybe you've identified yourself as "christian", but can you identify yourself as a follower of the way?

People outside the church bubble are not waking up on Sunday morning hoping to find a church they can help make successful.

This is such a simple and profound idea that it blows the mind. Why do we fool ourselves into such nonsense? I hope for people to begin to connect with people, not people connecting to an organization. What would it look like for the church to spend time and energy serving those not in church on Sunday morning? What if we measured the size of our churches by the number of people in our community that we are engaging and serving? For example, Mars Hill could have a church of 32,000 inner-city kids and teens that are represented in our community. Let's spend time and energy going and serving them and their families.

Wrong Question #3: How Do We Turn Members Into Ministers?

Tough Question #3: How Do We Turn Member Into Missionaries?

How do we deploy more missionaries into community transformation? This will require that we not only release ministry but that we also release church members.

To be a christian, a follower of Jesus, a person of the way is to be a sent one. So, to stay is not to follow. Jesus is on the move. Will we go? Will you follow? Where is he already at work among us?

If you are a church leader, be aware that when you head down this road toward developing a missionary force, you are going to do some significant soul-searching and ministry reprioritization. You are going to be challenged not only to release ministry, you are also going to be challenged to release members from churchianity, to quit gauging their spiritual maturity by how much they "support the church."

Let's not self-protect and self-preserve our position, power or profession at the expense of the world and the kingdom breaking in and through. Lead by letting go, giving away, resourcing, inspiring, encouraging, equipping, etc.

This is what life in the church bubble can do to you. It shrink wraps your vision down to the size of your church.

Let's dream big dreams. Be faithful with small. Act where we are. Here. Now.

An honest search for God today would lead the church back into the world.

Maybe this is why Jesus said the poor would always be among us, so that we would go to them and in doing so enter into the kingdom and find God. We ask, "Where are you, God?" God asks, "Where are you?" We invite God to come into our midst, our church services, our meetings. God invites us to join him in the forgotten places among forgotten people.

The problem is that when people come to church, expecting to find God, they often encounter a religious club holding a meeting where God is conspicuously absent.

God be with us and let us be with God.

Create a culture informed by missiology and create venues where people can practice being missionaries. The key is to have a practice of saying “yes” to people’s ideas about ways to be on mission.

I want the culture of our church to be freedom - to say yes, find away, make a way, remove the barriers, etc. AND a culture of passion - where people are chasing their dreams and fulfilling what God has put in their heart to do and be.

Adopting a missionary approach will require changing the scorecard. Until we start making heroes of people who decide to be and act like missionaries, we will fail to turn club members into missionaries.

Be a hero of the faith today. Be the church to somebody.

The Right Kind of Heroes.

We have heroes in society, culture and the church. We have witnessed large fast-growing churches that have an enormous personality of a pastor at the core and/or top of the church. And we have traditionally and currently been making these and other stage personalities the heroes of the faith. I recommend that we begin making heroes out of the right kind of people...people just like Zach Hunter. I want our church and every next generation church to be full of Zach Hunters.

September 2007
True Story: A Modern Day Abolitionist With Zach Hunter

Zach first heard about the plight of modern-day slaves three years ago. He realized slavery is not just some outdated thing found in history books, and he felt motivated to do something. At age 12, Zach launched a campaign called Loose Change to Loosen Chains to raise awareness and funds to help end slavery. Hundreds of groups are now furthering the campaign and students around the world consider themselves abolitionists.

I Have A Dream
My dream is that my generation would develop a love for the poor and the oppressed; that we'd serve them and in doing so would grow closer to God. God tells us who He's for and who He's against: He's always on the side of the poor, the orphan, the widow, the oppressed. When we get closer to the hurting people in the world, we get closer to the heart of God. Specifically, I hope that in my lifetime we will see the end of slavery. A big dream, but one I believe we can see happen.

Gathering Up Courage
In May 2006, I was given an opportunity to speak about modern-day slavery to nearly 15,000 people - one of the biggest crowds I'd ever seen, let alone spoken to! I previously struggled with an anxiety disorder in elementary school, and when I looked out on the crowd, some of those old fears came rushing back. But I knew I had the chance to let people know of the millions who are suffering around the world as slaves. I decided to take the stage, trusting God would give me courage. I explained the truth of slavery to thousands of people that night.

The courage I need to show is nothing compared to the courage of many others who face death and danger every day. Soldiers who put their lives on the line to defend their countries. Firefighters who enter burning buildings. And certainly, the courage required of every man, woman, and child in slavery who must wake up today and face their oppressors. Each of us faces situations in which we need to gather up our courage. When we do, it's as though the courage multiplies like yeast in dough, allowing us to be even more courageous the next time we're called upon.

Passion Awakened
My generation has been numbed to passion in many ways. We have been anesthetized by all of the stimulation in our culture. But I also hear in students a desire to wake up and feel something deeply - to be moved. It seems as though God is doing this as my generation comes face to face with some of the awful suffering occurring around the world. When I speak, I often meet students afterwards who are experiencing something new - passion. It's like a troubling in their spirits that I believe is the call of God to join Him in bringing relief to others. I'm confident that if they answer, they will experience the closeness to God that they dream of.

Taken from The Catalyst GroupZine Volume 3: Courageous in Calling, © 2007 by Catalyst and Thomas Nelson Publishers. Used by permission.

Zach Hunter is a 15-year-old abolitionist and author of Be the Change. Visit his website at http://www.lc2lc.com/.

The Shift From Church Growth To Kingdom Growth.

Here is the next post in a series of six regarding "The Present Future" by Reggie McNeal.
We will turn our thoughts to new reality number two: The Shift From Church Growth to Kingdom Growth.

Our working definition for "the kingdom" is how things really are and how they should really be.

Here goes...

New Reality Number Two – central to church growth teaching was an admonition that church leaders should assume responsibility for the growth of the church. We have the best churches men can build, but are still waiting for the church that only God can get credit for.

I immediately think of two stories Jesus told pertaining to growth and his kingdom.

The Parable of the Growing Seed 26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

The Parable of the Mustard Seed 30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."

Wrong Question #2: How Do We Grow This Church? (How do we get them to come to us?)

Several decades of the church growth movement’s emphasis on methodologies have conditioned church leaders to look for the next program, the latest “model,” the latest fad in ministry programming to help “grow” the church. I am constantly asked, “what’s next?” The focus of the church is on itself, on what it takes to succeed.

I believe wholeheartedly that we must change. But there is a difference between revolutionary change and evolutionary change. We are not looking for the next model or expression of church. Our church model will flow from the people that make it up and the nature in which they live their life. We want to be value-driven, not model driven. We can drive ourselves crazy in pursuit of the perfect model, living in a world of either-or, when we desperately need to adopt a both-and view of church. Either-or thinking leads to inaction because your mind will never stop and your feet will never start. We buckle under this kind of pressure, throw our hands up in the air in frustration. Remember that if we pursue church we may in fact miss Jesus. But if we pursue Jesus. who is alive and active today, we will get the best church imaginable.

People who are successful or competent in one way of thinking frequently resist a new approach. This is why revolutionaries wind up as the defenders of the status quo.

Tough Question #2: How Do We Transform Our Community (How do we hit the streets with the gospel?)

If they aren’t going to come to us, then we’ve got to go to them. This is turning the church inside out. We can keep trying to get them to want what we have or we can start offering what they need.

It's a bit cliche I know, but we are a church that says "go and be" not "come and see".

Missional spirituality requires that God’s people be captured by his heart for people, that our hearts be broken for what breaks his, that we rejoice in what brings him joy.

Our hearts need to be captured for all of his people, not simply the church-going ones. What breaks God's heart? What brings him joy?

The message to people outside the bubble is: Become like us, believe like us, dress like us, vote like us, act like us, like what we like, don’t like what we don’t like.

Remember that Jesus was full of scandalous grace and radical acceptance.

Kingdom thinking challenges church thinking.

Where are you currently being challenged in your thinking?

I think we are unaware of what we have to offer people.

Are you in touch with your story in God? Is your faith fresh and active? Is it easier for you to talk about church than Jesus? It it personal?

We’ve got to take the gospel to the streets. This is the only appropriate missional response to the collapse of the church culture.

I agree. It is time to put the ministry of the church in the hands of the people and the church back on the streets where it belongs.

Where are you seeing the kingdom grow in your own city and community? Where is the kingdom breaking in? Let us know.

What Is Success?

I recently had the thought that goes a little something like this...

What if "successful" is not really success at all? What if we've been playing with the wrong scorecard? The wrong set of rules?

At MH we are committed to measure success by stories of transformation. Here are a couple comments I received this week from those participating in the journey.

"Just wanted to say we really enjoyed Mars Hill this last Sunday. We're both really drawn to the mission and ideas about being the church/followers of Jesus, instead of just going to church. Thanks for all you (that's you too) do!"

"Hi there! I just wanted to let you know that your message last week had a huge impact on my friend. She has gone through a big unexpected life stress and she has picked up the phrase "unforced rhythms of grace" (see Matthew 11:25-30 in the Message) as her motto. I know it is God's awesome compassion and love that prodded her to come on Sunday. I appreciate the sacred space that Mars Hill creates that allows for grief and celebration. Have a super great week!"

We'd love to hear bits and pieces of your story - your journey!

The Collapse of The Church Culture.

Hey - Going to blog my way through a recent read, "The Present Future". Read this through with a group of serving leaders to our new and forming community. I'll throw out the thought and ideas shared in the book, make a few comments here and there and hopefully respond to your own reflections and responses.

Here goes...

I believe the search for models can often short-circuit a significant part of a leader’s journey into obedience to God. The Bible is not a book of models; it is a record of radical obediences of people who listened and responded to the direction of God for their lives. I am not looking for the next way to do church, I am looking for and following the person of Jesus, the most loving gentle revolutionary I've met.

New Reality Number One –The death of the church culture as we know it will not be the death of the church. This church culture has become confused with biblical Christianity, both inside the church and out.

A growing number of people are leaving the institutional church for a new reason. They are not leaving because they have lost faith. They are leaving the church to preserve their faith. Do you know anybody that has an active faith and life in God, and does not participate in a local church? I do.

Wrong Question #1 – How Do We Do Church Better?

We've talked a lot about this through the MH Journey. Our aim is to BE the church. What does BEing the church look like and entail for you? What do you value along the way? How do you spend time? What does your community look like? What role does the local church play in all of this?

Faced with diminishing returns on investment of money, time, and energy, church leaders have spent much of the last five decades trying to figure out how to do church.

Many congregations and church leaders, faced with the collapse of the church culture, have responded by adopting a refuge mentality. This is the perspective reflected in the approach to ministry that withdraws from the culture. We want to engage and shape the current culture and create the future culture of OKC? What ministry are you a part of that does not directly benefit other Christians?

Evangelism is this worldview is about churching the unchurched, not connecting people to Jesus.
Some churches go to the opposite extreme. Instead of choosing refuge, their response to the collapse of the church culture is to sell out to the culture.

I am beginning to think that we need to "unchurch" the "churched" a bit.

The point is, all the effort to fix the church misses the point. You can build the perfect church – and they still won’t come. Church-hopping is for church people. Church leaders seem unable to grasp this simple implication of the new world – people outside the church think church is for church people, not for them.

I am sick of trying to dream up or craft a perfect church. I'll take it messy and beautiful. In the hands of wonderfully ordinary hero people like you and me.

Tough Question #1 – How do we deconvert from churchianity to Christianity?

North American Christians think in terms of its institutional expression, the church, as opposed to thinking about Christianity in terms of a movement.

A movement necessitates, well, movement. Where are we going? Where are we stuck?

Are we inviting people to become followers of Jesus OR to convert to the church.

I want to put the person of Jesus on display and invite people to put their faith in him by beginning to live a certain kind of way, the best kind of way, the way of Jesus.

Is there a chance that the nonchurch culture doesn’t associate Jesus with the church.

We need to recapture the mission of the church. In the bible we encounter a God who is on a redemptive mission in the world. The central act of God in the OT is the Exodus – a divine intervention into human history to liberate his people from oppression and slavery. The decisive act of the NT is the divine intervention of God into human history to liberate his people from oppression and slavery. And now God has a purpose and an assignment for the liberated people. They were chosen to be the priests of God, representing him to the whole earth.

The vision seems clear, consistent and ongoing.

The church was never intended to exist for itself. Jesus preached that God was for people, not against them. People don’t trust religious institutions because they see them as inherently self-serving. So they are off on their own search for God.

The church has lost its influence because it has lost its identity. It has lost its identity because it has lost its mission. The church’s mission: to join God in his redemptive efforts to save the world.

When I read the above mentioned mission of the church, bells went off in my head and heart. That's the mission and identity of Mars Hill: to join God where he is already at work among us in downtown and midtown Oklahoma City in his redemptive efforts to save not condemn those he loves both Christian and UnChristian.

People of The Way.

Great Gathering this week. Loved worshipping with Jenna Davis (http://www.jennadavismusic.com/).

The Art of Living.
John 10:10 says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
I came that they (A)may have life, and have it abundantly.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
I came so they might have life, a great full life.
I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”


John 8:31 says, “31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

"If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."

The truth gives freedom to be you...The best version of you…the best possible way to live.
If…Then...The truth will set you free
Live as I made you to live…
Jesus is not inviting us to know things in our heads, believe
Inviting us to live in such a way that we experience something, the living god
Not interested in a head full of facts, live a certain way

Before they were called Christians (AD 60), they were called Followers of the way or “People of The Way”…known for how they lived…the way…huge meals…make sure everybody has enough…needy…share…take care of each other…widows and orphans…compassion…poor and needy

If you make the Christian faith this floaty spiritual thing…you miss Jesus’ message…
Knowing comes from living….then you know the truth

THE WAYS OF JESUS

Matthew 6:12 says, “12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Center of the new way of living is to live as we have been forgiven and to extend forgiveness to others.

See Matthew 18:21-35 says, “A Story About Forgiveness"

Live as if you’ve been forgiven by god…and when you’re wronged, set them free…
WHO DO YOU NEED TO FORGIVE…SET FREE?

See Matthew 6:25-34.
What is a better way to live? Full of panic, bound by worry, anxiety or not.
Where do you need to be set free from panic, worry, stress, anxiety.
Living as if you trust god, don’t worry don’t be anxious
Let god take care of you

See Matthew 11:20-30, “The Unforced Rhythms of Grace"

Take my teachings, my yoke, my way
Different rabbis had different sets of rules, which were really different lists of what they forbade and what they permitted. A rabbi’s set of rules and lists, which was really that rabbi’s interpretation of how to live the Torah, was called that rabbi’s yoke. When you followed a certain rabbi, you were following him because you believed that rabbi’s set of interpretations were closest to what God intended through the Scriptures. And when you followed that rabbi, you were taking up that rabbi’s yoke.

One rabbi even said his yoke was easy.
The intent of a rabbi having a yoke wasn’t just to interpret the words correctly, it was to live them out. In the Jewish context, action was always the goal. It still is.

See James 1:22-25 & James 2:14-25.

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Every once in a while, a rabbi would come along who was teaching a new yoke, a new way of interpreting the Torah. This was rare and extraordinary.

Where are you weary? What is the burden you now carry? Could your soul use some rest? What do you need to learn about the unforced rhythms of grace?

See Matthew 18:15-17.
Who has hurt you? Do they know about it? Or are you just spreading it all over the place?

See John 17:20-23.
Who do you have junk with? What are you avoiding? Who are you severed from? What funky relationship?

See Matthew 20:25-28.

I came to serve you, when you live in my flow you serve and give your life away
People that are selfish live in a world that is shrinking…those that give and serve their world gets bigger and its growing…you are here as a gift to the world…try living this way as a servant wired by god to give to others

How do you orient your life, as one who is serving? Have you come to serve and give your life? In giving our life away, we find it!

See John 20:24-31.
Bunch of stuff Jesus did that is not in the bible, but what I’ve written down is so that you would believe and that by believing you might have life…live it out…believe it so that it will affect how you live so you will have life in his name

If it’s a head thing…you’ve missed it…you believe so that you begin to live…start to live a certain way…just try it…take a leap and try living…the best way

If you were to visit a church gathering in the first 200 years, “I want to be a Christian” they would say begin living the way and teachings of Jesus…to begin living this way…not to start believing a particular way or getting all of your questions answered...if it stuck after a year or two…you would stand up in front of the community…and say it is true…you would say I have become a “follower of Jesus”…

Birthday Parties For Prostitutes.

I want to share a story with you this morning. It comes from an excerpt that was read from The Secret Message of Jesus at last week's Gathering. It says so much. It resonates well.

My friend Tony was in another time zone and couldn't sleep, so well after midnight he wandered down to a doughnut shop where, it turned out, local hookers also came at the end of a night of turning tricks. There, he overheard a conversation between two of them. One, named Agnes, said, "You know what? Tomorrow's my birthday. I'm gonna be thirty-nine." Her friend snapped back, "So what d'ya want from me? A birthday party? Huh? You want me to get a cake and sing happy birthday to you?" The first woman replied, "Aw, come on, why do you have to be so mean? Why do you have to put me down? I'm just sayin' it's my birthday. I don't want anything from you. I mean, why should I have a birthday party? I've never had a birthday party in my whole life. Why should I have one now?"

When they left, Tony got an idea. He asked the shop owner if Agnes came in every night, and when he replied in the affirmative, Tony invited him into a surprise party conspiracy. The shop owner's wife even got involved. Together they arranged for a cake, candles, and typical party decorations for Agnes, who was, to Tony, a complete stranger. The next night when she came in, they shouted, "Surprise!" - and Agnes couldn't believe her eyes. The doughnut shop patrons sang, and she began to cry so hard she could barely blow out the candles. When the time came to cut the cake, she asked if they'd mind if she didn't cut it, if she could bring it home - just to keep it for a while and savor the moment. So she left, carrying her cake like a treasure.

Tony led the guests in a prayer for Agnes, after which the shop owner told Tony he didn't realize Tony was a preacher. He asked what kind of church Tony came from, and Tony replied, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning." The shop owner couldn't believe him. "No you don't. There ain't no church like that. If there was, I'd join it. Yep, I'd join a church like that." Sadly, there are too few churches like that, but if more of us understand the secret message of Jesus, there will be lots more.

I want to be this kind of church in Oklahoma City, regardless!

Wouldn't It Be Awesome...

Here's an excerpt from Brian McLaren's, "The Secret Message of Jesus" (www.BrianMcLaren.net). It parallels our current journey on the Art of Living.

"Jesus was master of making the music of life - not just with wood and string, tuners and frets, but with skin and bone, smile and laughter, shout and whisper, time and space, food and drink. He invited the disciples to learn to make beautiful life-music in his secret, revolutionary kingdom-of-God way. He helped each of them learn the disciplines and skill of living in the kingdom of God. They watched him play, watched him live and interact, and imitated his example until they began to have the spirit of his style, the power of his performance. Then, after his resurrection, he said, "This was your master recital - living through the agony of my rejection, humiliation, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Now you are ready to be sent out as masters yourselves - masters of my secret message, masters in living in the kingdom.

Master musicians do three things. First, they continue to practice their craft. If they don't continue to practice, they'll get rusty and nobody will be interested in their work. Second, master musicians perform. They play! They bring the joy of music to audiences everywhere. And third, they are authorized to take on students themselves.

So, Jesus called twelve student or apprentices - which is what disciples means - and demonstrated the art of living in the kingdom of God. He gave them three years of private lessons, if you will.

The whole kingdom-of-God project, then, began as a community of people learning to love and play the music of the kingdom in the tradition of the Master and his original apprentices. The story of the kingdom is the story of his band of life-musicians over the last two thousand years. From parent to child, mentor to mentoree, teacher to student, friend to friend - the art of living, performing, and teaching in the kingdom of God has been passed down through centuries and passed on across continents. Often their music has been sweet and beautiful, but - we must admit this - too often it has also been ugly, out of tune, unworthy of the Master composer and musician they claim to follow. Often, after an especially bad season of disappointing performances when the art of the kingdom is nearly lost, a new master musician will arise and reinfuse the tradition with vitality and passion - a St. Patrick, a St. Francis, a Teresa of Avila, a Hildegard of Bingen, a John Wesley, a CS Lewis, a Desmond Tutu, a Mother Theresa. Many of us feel that the Christian tradition today is in need of some new artists who have the music of the kingdom deep in their souls to revive the tradition in our world, especially in the West."

Wouldn't it be awesome if Christians became followers of Jesus?

The world needs a better version of the church.
The world needs a better us.
The world needs a better version of me.

Love to hear some thoughts from "out there".

Desire.

Each week we gather together with our newly forming community. And on the first Sunday of the month, we eat together! It's simple and profound to me, subtle and powerful. I'm convinced church is a happening, not a place more and more. It's something we are and something we choose to be.

Here are some of the thoughts shared as we journey through the "Art of Living".

I read a couple of excerpts from Brian McLaren's latest, "The Secret Message of Jesus". It is a fabulous read and I will post those excerpts and blog through much of the book here this week.

Here goes...

Read this verse repeatedly, slowly, thoughtfully. This is Jesus telling you, me, us, the world why he has come...for LIFE!

John 10:10 says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
I came that they (A)may have life, and have it abundantly.
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).
My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
I came so they might have life, a great full life.
I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if Christians became followers of Jesus – not just something we believed and debated and defended, but something we did, a way of living

Wouldn't it be great for a church to be known by how they live, party, give, mourn, patient, kind, generous, for people to say, “they know how to live”

The world is waiting for and in need of a better church – The world is waiting for a better us – A better version of me

DESIRE
We you think of religion / Christianity, we think all too often of what we are repress / suppress / hold back / bottle up / stifle / smother / keep in check / control / block out / hide / censor / squelch / kill / crush / forgo / miss / give up / abstain from / go without / do without / decline / skip / omit /what we’re against / what we avoid / what we don’t do / what we say no to / what we hate / ALL POSITIONED IN THE NEGATIVE – not about taking away from life, widling it down, stripping away, about embracing desires

Desire – to want something very strongly / a wish, craving, or longing for something / want / longing / crave / yearn / aspire / hope / expectation / faith / dream /

Read John 4 – Jesus traveling through Samaria (several subplots)
Usually in the morning but this is the sixth hour and this woman is here because she knows others will not be there

John 4:13 says, “13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

Eternal Life (English) – Olam Haba (Hebrew), meaning harmony with God
How do I have peace, harmony how do I live like I was created to live

Verse 16 - 16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

Jesus never condemns her…totally kind, considerate

She’s searching for something and man #1 – 5 didn’t do it
A lot like us…searching…and its not working…god shaped whole…an ache

Jesus sits down next to her and says…it’s not working for you is it
He doesn’t lead her away from her desires for love and meaning…he takes her farther in her desire deeper…tap into something with one man…wouldn’t leave you craving for more…that you wouldn’t have to keep coming back

The Weight of Glory – “If you asked twenty good men today what they thought they highest of virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you had asked almost any of the great Christians of old, he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive. The negative idea of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point. I do not thing this is the Christian virtue of Love. The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing. If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Jesus comes alongside of you and Points out habits and patterns of living that we search and try to fill that god shaped hole…it’s not working…maybe there is a better way

Jesus gets personal…and at her real pain…her real stuff and issues…and she changes the subjects and starts talking about current events…surface things…in this day people liked to talk about service things like the weather…isn’t it great that we’ve evolved so much?

He gets at her woundedness and desire for love…her real ache and longing to be loved…she switches it to the weather, obscure religious issues, current events anything to not get at my life not being the best

Kind and gentle ways…it’s not working is it

Searching pursuing filling the whole get rid of the ache and its not working
Trying to fix the cracks of our brokenness

Matthew 13: 44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Living as god created us to live…you get a taste of it and you do anything to get more…because you want it so bad…life works when you desire it more than anything

Absolute and unrestrained desire to get it

See something they want more than anything else / they embrace their desire for something better

Hebrews 12: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Why does he do it…he has this glimpse of what is going to happen…how does he get through the cross…DESIRE…go through to get it

Ephesians 4: 28 Those who have been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Talking to people in a church a community
Religion normally stops with the don’t do…
Always fails when it’s a list of No’s…cuts off desire…
Show him something he can do that will give him more of a rush…make something and give it to someone who knows it…stealing is the best they can come up with…something they will love more

Never taught to cut off desire…go deeper in them…the problem isn’t that were craving this…the problem is that this is all we’re craving

Let go…in order to embrace the better, the full, the desire, the best possible way to live
How often to we grab ahold of stuff that just isn’t great…we need the better to be pointed out to us…we don’t let go until we see something more and better
Clutch this stuff because we can’t
Religion says get rid of it…God is a god of desire…here, check this life out

Is it working for you?
Is this the best kind of life?
Maybe we’re missing something God created us for.
What are you holding unto, what do you need to let go of?
Habits, patterns of behavior, destructive attitudes,addictions, something you know is not the best,
I need to drop this…give me something to pull me in deeper, farther...